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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Beating the Thriller

We
all know that thrillers and modern romances are the biggest sellers. They
dominate the markets, and it seems to be what all our friends are reading. But
what if you're not into the newest spy-chase novel and the modern romance isn't
your thing? For me, the draw of historical fiction has always been stronger
than the idea of writing-for-profit in a genre that will probably sell better.
But, that leaves historical fiction writers at a disadvantage.

Or
does it? What can we as authors of historical fiction do to balance the market
for us?

Write for the Public

First
off, you must try to use what's currently popular. What do you see in
movies/other popular books/popular culture? For me, a military historian, a
prime example of this is works on Rome and ancient Greece. The ancient world is
hot right now. It's sexy. Films like Gladiator,
300, Alexander, Centurion, The Eagle, and many more capitalize on that. They
may not be exactly factual (but neither, strictly speaking, is historical
fiction), but they do increase the public's care and concern for history. For
me, that means that works on Rome and ancient Greece will sell better. In fact,
I'm in the process of planning a novel set in that age.

This
works for other subgenres, like historical romance as well. Look at Downturn Abbey and the like. Romance
itself is timeless; make money from that. If you see that the Middle Ages is
catching the public's eye, use that to your advantage. Right now, Victorianism
is ripe for writing. With Steampunk (a fantastic genre that is easily mixed
with historical fiction), Sherlock Holmes, and others making a dent in pop
culture, take advantage of it. Tailor your work for the public.

Use Historical Fiction
to Change Your World

Although
the money is fun, all authors also long to be remembered in their works. They
want to have a lasting impact on their world. Don't you? I'm just finishing
Mary Renault's masterpiece, The Last of theWine. It's set in Athens during the Peloponnesian War and follows a young
soldier and student of Socrates. The protagonist, Alexias, falls in love with
an older student and another philosopher, Lysis. The book tells the story of
these men's love, their lives, and the tragedy that is war. But what's more is
that it was written in the 1950s. At that time, being a homosexual was not only
unpopular, it could be ruinous to one's career, to one's very life. Renault
wrote the work in part to paint a larger picture of the issue.

She
wrote the book because, as a homosexual, she was tired of the backlash. She
wanted to show that, throughout time, homosexuals were just as capable of doing
great deeds, of being human. Her works all touch on this and other social issues.

So
can yours.

Do
you care about the environment? Look at Victorian England and the damages just
beginning by the Industrial Movement. How about immigration — do you find
immigration policy today unfair? Look at Ellis Island. Use your genre to shed
new light on an issue you're passionate about. The beautiful thing about the
past — the thing which let Renault get away with such commentary in an age of
repression — is that everything is in a different context. In the age of kings
and revolutions, actions are different than today. Looking into the past gives
us the freedom to be critical, to be un-shaking in our critique or our praise
for what once was and is now lost. Your readers will make the connection. Your book
can truly change your world.

Tell a New Story

How
often have you read a story that sounds just like all the others? I can't tell
you the number of times. It seems like people are becoming more and more
unoriginal. But you, as an author of historical fiction, have access to
thousands of years and millions of stories waiting
to be told. As authors in this genre, we have the license to find the gems
in the past that get lost.

Recently,
I was researching a famous general from the Napoleonic Age, but he almost never
made it to manhood; as a child, he almost suffocated to death by pretending to
be a dog. He got stuck in his family's doggy-door, and because he was
pretending, he refused to use his voice. All he did was bark. And his parents
laughed at their funny son. Until he passed out. And turned blue. Obviously, he
lived, but anecdotes like this are beautiful. You simply can't make some of
these things up!

Now,
I'm not telling you to steal your stories. But, unlike those spy thrillers that
sound the same, we have millions of people's tales waiting to be redone.
Research. Add your own voice. Change things. But draw from that amazing well
that history gives us. You can then write a new story that will capture and
inspire.

So,
if you're sick of people complaining of the power popular genres have, use your
tools. Write to fit what's popular, use your historical lens to change the
world, and bring amazing stories from the past to life.